Unionist fights $1.36 million HSU claims

A unionist being sued for $1.36 million over claims she misused funds has allegedly claimed hell will freeze over before the union sees a penny.

Kathy Jackson is being sued by her former employer, the Health Services Union, over allegations she acted outside her authority as national secretary and spent $660,000 funds on personal expenses.

The Federal Court heard on Monday that Ms Jackson has all but completed the process of transferring a coastal NSW property, bought for $1.3 million in 2012, to her de facto partner, Fair Work Commission vice president Michael Lawler.

Mark Irving, counsel for the union, wants to block the transfer and freeze Ms Jackson's other assets to prevent their sale or transfer less than two weeks out from the trial date.

He said Ms Jackson had indicated in court documents that she owned a mortgaged property and "hell would freeze over before the union ever sees a penny".

But the transfer is effectively complete, with registration to be finalised within days, Ms Jackson's lawyer, Mark Robinson, told the court.

Proceedings were delayed last year because Ms Jackson was too mentally unwell to appear.